Picket type sheet metal fences



Nov. 29, 1960 1-. R. COFIELD 2,962,263

PICKET TYPE SHEET METAL FENCES Filed Sept. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Thomas A. Gaffe/0 ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1960 -r. R. COFIELD 2,962,263

PICKET TYPE SHEET METAL FENCES 7 Filed Sept. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Thomas R. Gaffe/0 'ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,962,263 PICKET TYPE SHEET METAL FENCES Thonias R. Col ield Baltimore, Md., assignor to The Aluminum Fences, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Sept. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 762,974 8 Claims. Cl. 256-22 This invention generally relates to fences, and more particularly it pertains to picket type sheet metal support fences as well as trellis structures.

In picket type sheet metal fences currently in use, the fence consists of formed channel metallic sheet for both the vertical pickets and the horizontal stringers. In the installation of this type of fence, there arise occasions wherein the fence is to be smoothly curved either horizontally, as in conventional use, or vertically when the fence is used to form a trellis structure.

An example of this application is for a shrubbery enclosure to be described. A further example in this same category is the special case in which a section of fence is vertically elongated, bent over and back upon itself to form a trellis. In these cases, the pickets as well as the stringers must smoothly be made to conform to the desired curvature.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a metallic channel fence structure in which the stringers are smoothly formed to a desired curvature.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metallic channel arbour trellis in which the stringers are smoothly formed to a desired curvature.

To provide a picket type sheet metal fence which can be smoothly curved either horizontally or vertically, or both, is another object of this invention.

Also, still another object of this invention is to provide a picket type, metallic fence which is economical to manufacture, easy to install, and which is efficient and reliable in operational use.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood from the following specification and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shrubbery fence enclosure incorporating features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a section of the bendable fence stringer of the fence enclosure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of an arbour trellis constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the arbour trellis of Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. l of the drawings, there is illustrated a metallic aluminum shrubbery enclosure consisting of a plurality of vertical pickets 14 integrally secured at intervals to a horizontal stringer 12. Stringer 12 is of generally open U-channel shape, and it is provided with flanges 13 as best illustrated in Fig. 2.

Pickets 14 have the same general cross section as stringer 12, and are provided with flanges 15. The pickets 14 and the stringer 12 are secured to each other by means of rivets 20 passed through flanges 15 and 13, respectively. If the pickets 14 are made several feet long, it may be desirable to provide two horizontally spaced stringers 12 to rigidly hold the pickets in a vertical direction.

The horizontal stringer 12 is provided with a plurality of transverse saw cuts or slots 30 evenly spaced and extending through the channel but not including the flanges 13 as shown in Fig. 3. Stringer 12 of the enclosure 10 is then easily bent to the are desired.

By suitably choosing the depth of saw cut or slot 30,

- the inner periphery of the arcuate formed stringer 12 arbour trellis 40 constructed with spaced metallic pickets and stringer described above for the fence enclosure 10. This arbour trellis 40 consists of two sides formed of spaced vertically extending stringers 44 and 50, joined together by arcuate stringers 46. Each pair of vertical stringers 44 and 50, one on each side of the trellis 40, is joined together by horizontally mounted and spaced pickets 48, shown in the elevation view of Fig. 5.

Each arcuate stringer 46 is provided with a plurality of saw cuts or slots 60 through the U portion of the channel comprising the stringer to facilitate the forming of the stringers 46 to the desired curvature.

As previously stated, if the width of the cut or slot 60 is suitably chosen, a closed gap 64, as shown in Fig. 5, will result after the stringers 46 are bent to present an essentially continuous appearance. A pointed end 66 on the stringers 44 and 50 facilitates the erection of the arbour trellis 40 in the ground.

It is to be further noted that the pickets 48, which are horizontally mounted, extend past the stringers as shown in Fig. 5. The pickets 48 and stringers 44, 50, and 46 can be riveted together as previously described by rivets 62, shown in Fig. 5. The trellis 40 as well as the fence enclosure 10 are preferably formed of aluminum or other light metal of high strength.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise then as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A picket type sheet metal structural fence arrangement of arcuate shape, comprising, a stringer of channel shape having a base with outwardly extending divergent sides and with a flange on each side arranged substantially parallel to said base, and a plurality of pickets also of channel shape corresponding in cross section to the cross section of said stringer and having a base with outwardly extending divergent sides and with a flange on each side thereof arranged substantially parallel to said base thereof, said pickets being arranged substantially transversely to said channel shaped stringer and secured by their flanges to the flanges of said stringer, said channel shaped stringer having a plurality of spaced, transversely formed slots located in said base and divergent sides of said channel of said stringer to facilitate the bending of channel of said stringer into an arcuate shape to form said picket type sheet metal structural arrangement of arcuate shape.

2. A picket type sheet metal structural fence arrangement of arcuate shape as recited in claim 1, wherein said arcuate shape of said structural arrangement is of circular cross-section.

3. A picket type sheet metal structural arrangement of arcuate shape as recited in claim 1, wherein said slots formed in the channel of said stringer are evenly spaced.

4. A picket type sheet metal structural arrangement of arcuate shape, comprising, a pair of spaced stringers of channel shape, each said stringer channel having a base with outwardly extending divergent sides, with flanges on each side thereof arranged, in cross section, substantially parallel tosaidbase, and a plurality ofpickets arranged substantially transversely to said channel shaped stringers, each said picket also being of channel shape" correspond ing in cross section to the cross section of saidstringers and having a base, with outwardly extending divergent sides and with a flange on each side thereof arranged substantially parallel to said base, each said channel shaped stringer having aplurality of spaced transversely formed slots located in the base and divergent side walls of its channel to facilitate the bending of said stringers into an arcuate shape to form said picket type sheet metal struc' tural arrangement of arcuate shape. Y

5. A picket type sheet metal structural arrangement of arcuate shape as recited in claim 4, wherein said arcuate shape structural arrangement is of circular cross-section.

6. A picket typesheet'rnetal structural arrangement of arcuate shape as recited in claim 4, wherein said arcuate shape structural arrangement is of semi-circular crosssection.

7. A picket type sheet metal structural arrangement of arcuate shape as recited in claim 4, wherein said slots formed in the base and sides of said channels of said stringers are evenly spaced.

8. A picket type sheet metal structural arrangement of arcuate shape as recited in claim 6, wherein other spaced ment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Astrella Apr. 14, 1953 Gibbs Dec. 14, 1954 Butler June 11, 1957 

